October means that the spooky season, or what borning people call Autumn or Fall, is in full swing. Comfy, warmer clothes are accompanied by an assortment of delicious hot drinks and evenings filled with the best Halloween movies.
Finding the right Halloween movie to set the tone for the evening can feel like an impossible task, thanks to the sheer amount to choose from. Great spooky season movies can make you scream and cower behind the couch or make you cackle like a witch who just found the perfect spell.
If only there was a concise list of amazing Halloween movies to choose from to save you from scrolling through the countless options for hours. Well, what do you know below, you will find a list of the five best spooky season movies to make this a Halloween you will never forget.
5 Best Scary Movies to Watch this Halloween
Regardless if you are looking for the scariest of scary movies or a film filled with goofs, gaffs, ghosts, and ghouls, the below list has you covered. In all honesty, this list could easily have contained multiple movies to watch every night leading up to October 31, but who has that kind of time?
Instead, the movies found in this list are quintessential viewing experiences that make for an unforgettable Halloween. You can still watch them splattered across the month if you so choose or in one terrifying night-long marathon.
So, grab your Halloween candy, dress in your favorite Halloween costumes, and get comfy on the couch as you settle in for a frightfully entertaining month or evening.
Halloween Movie Series
A list of the best horror movies to watch during the spooky season would not be complete without any of the 13 Halloween movies. There are good ones and bad ones, but which is which causes infinitely long tumultuous comment threads. So, to remain in the spirit of Halloween fun, let's look at it from a completionist perspective.
The movies have been bloodying the silver screen since 1978 and have had a steady stream of releases up until 2022. The movies can mostly be watched in order of release date except for 2006’s Halloween: 25 Years of Terror.
25 Years of Terror is actually not a film that furthers the narrative of the Halloween movies. Instead, it is a documentary that takes an exhaustive look into the Halloween franchise, making it a perfect ending to your scream-filled marathon.
The Exorcist Franchise
The Original Exorcist movie is considered one of the top scary movies of all time, and it has had some lackluster sequels throughout the years, four to be precise. However, 50 years after the original, The Exorcist: Believer was released. Bringing with it revitalized excitement and scares.
If you are the kind of horror lover who simply has to experience every spine-tingling jump scare a franchise has to offer, then you will have to strap yourself in for a total of six movies. Each motion picture massively varies in the quality of the writing and production as well as its relevance to the original.
Get Out
What makes for a good scary movie? Is it a well-timed jump scare? Perhaps it's an abundance of gore and blood? For many, it is a well-written plot that slowly plays out while feeding into our collective subconscious fears and beliefs.
Get Out achieves this latter description effortlessly. The writing and passing lull you into a false sense of security sprinkled with moments of unease. During a first watch-through, it’s difficult to put your finger on what exactly is making you feel so uncomfortable. But before you know it things go from uncomfortability to outright terror endusing.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas Movie? I say It’s both! Why limit the gleeful pleasure of belting out “This is Halloween” alongside old Jack Skelington to just once a year?
If you haven’t seen this timeless treasure then I would strongly recommend starting your Hallows Eve journey here. Soon You’ll find yourself amongst the rest of us elder emo’s devouring your whole life to the charming Skeleton and his love Sally.
Secret Window
What do you get when you combine Stephen King and Johnny Depp? You get the perfect storm of twists turns and an unlimited amount of nightmare fuel. Well, actually you get the Secret Window. The Perfect Storm has George Clooney and Marky Mark in it. Although, that is for a “Best movies adapted from Stephen King stories” list for another day.
Secret Window will have you peering through your own windows for weeks to come after the end credits roll. It's shorter run time and exceptional pacing will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It is the perfect movie for one of those truly great Halloween horror nights.
Final Thoughts on This Halloween’s Best Spooky Movies
There are so many fantastic horror movies to fill out your October with, that it is almost impossible to mention them all here. That being said, I promise that these movies will keep the hairs on the back of your neck raised and the blanket over your head.
Just remember there is no better way to stop feeling alone than watching a good horror movie with the lights out. Butter that popcorn and top up your drinks before you dive into this pool of blood and terror.